Competitors or cousins? Studying the parallels between distributed programming languages systemJ and IEC61499

We face a glut of languages for programming distributed software today. However, only a few languages have proven their potential with wider practical use in different domains of computing. We picked two such languages, meant for different domains, to see if they could cross-pollinate and enrich one another. Specifically, we chose SystemJ, a language to program distributed embedded systems, and IEC61499, the next generation standard for distributed industrial automation control software. Unsurprisingly, we found similar structures and artifacts between the two. We also found significant differences mainly due to differing domain-specific requirements. This comparison leads to observations and guidelines for improving both languages, and we discuss directions towards an “ideal” distributed software programming language

A Novel RSSI Prediction Using Imperialist Competition Algorithm (ICA), Radial Basis Function (RBF) and Firefly Algorithm (FFA) in Wireless Networks

This study aims to design a vertical handover prediction method to minimize unnecessary handovers for a mobile node (MN) during the vertical handover process. This relies on a novel method for the prediction of a received signal strength indicator (RSSI) referred to as IRBF-FFA, which is designed by utilizing the imperialist competition algorithm (ICA) to train the radial basis function (RBF), and by hybridizing with the firefly algorithm (FFA) to predict the optimal solution. The prediction accuracy of the proposed IRBF–FFA model was validated by comparing it to support vector machines (SVMs) and multilayer perceptron (MLP) models. In order to assess the model’s performance, we measured the coefficient of determination (R2), correlation coefficient (r), root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE). The achieved results indicate that the IRBF–FFA model provides more precise predictions compared to different ANNs, namely, support vector machines (SVMs) and multilayer perceptron (MLP). The performance of the proposed model is analyzed through simulated and real-time RSSI measurements. The results also suggest that the IRBF–FFA model can be applied as an efficient technique for the accurate prediction of vertical handover

FPGA-based bio-cybernetic automation system for lab-on-a-chip zebrafish embryo arrays

Zebrafish embryo is a popular model organism for in-situ toxicology analysis. It offers advantages over traditional bioassays by allowing visualisation of developing tissues and organs in response to chemical treatment. Over recent years, lab-on-A-chip (LoC) technology was introduced to handle zebrafish embryos in large quantities and to improve the throughput of in-situ experiments. Chip-based microfluidic devices offer flexible platforms for trapping and observing embryos, as well as allowing small quantity chemical treatment. However, experiment procedures remain laborious and require constant operator attention without a fully automated system. In this paper, a novel field-programmable gate array (FPGA)-based bio-cybernetic system, that works with LoC devices for handling zebrafish embryos, controlling chemical perfusion, and acquiring image data periodically, is described. The developed system is capable of handling up to 100 embryos in a single experiment. The functionalities have been tested by performing multiple time lapse experiments of up to 72 hours

FPGA-based bio-cybernetic system for lab-on-a-chip automation

In recent years, Lab-on-a-Chip technology has been widely applied to the pharmaceutical and eco-toxicity domains, together with the use of zebrafish as the model organism for performing fish embryo toxicity assay. However, the requirement of constant human attention and lack of fully automated systems have lead into low throughput and slow turnaround time for the experiments. In this paper, a novel FPGA-based bio-cybernetic system is designed to work with Lab-on-a-Chip devices in these experiments for handling zebrafish embryos, controlling chemical liquid perfusion, maintaining micro-environment and acquiring image data periodically for the analysis of embryo development. These functionalities have been demonstrated in the designed system by performing multiple 40-hour continuous experiments

A New Reactive Processor with Architecture Support for Control Dominated Embedded Systems

Control dominated embedded systems have to be designed for fast reaction to asynchronous external events occurring in the environment. Such systems must be able to perform signal emission, signal polling, preemption and priority resolution efficiently. Current microprocessors and microcontrollers, however, have no direct support for such tasks and employ indirect mechanisms such as polling (via a port) and interrupts. In this paper, we propose a new processor core having architectural support for reactivity at the instruction level. The new processor core (called REFLIX) is an extension of an existing open source processor (FLIX) core with additional instructions to support reactivity. Initial benchmarking results (for some control dominated programs) show that REFLIX performs, on an average, 5.92 times faster compared to FLIX and has 77 % code size reduction when compared to some conventional processors. 1

Automated bio cybernetic system - A lab-on-a-chip case study

This paper presents a high level systematic design approach for a distinctive type of application, automated Bio Cybernetic Systems (BCS), which enable experiments to be performed autonomously on live organisms in a Lab-on-Chip platform. The system integrates micro-electro-mechanical, microfluidics and embedded computing technologies into a fully Automated Biochemical Laboratory (ABL) with real-time sensing and actuating capabilities and control of multiple parallel experiments on large number of live organisms to achieve high throughput screening process. The system comprises of multiple concurrent control subsystems, imaging subsystem, higher-level data acquisition and storage system. A system level design language SystemJ is used to model the ABL as a Globally Asynchronous, Locally Synchronous (GALS) system in software and a hardware prototype is successfully built based on the software model

Automatic image analysis of zebrafish embryo development for lab-on-a-chip

The zebrafish is a popular model organism that is widely applied with lab-on-a-chip (LoC) technology in drug discovery and toxicity assay experiments. In such experiments, constant human attention is required during and after the experiments for online and offline monitoring and analysis. The throughput and turnaround time are both hindered from lack of automated image analysis. In this paper, a novel image analysis algorithm is developed to automatically recognise the first two stages of the zebrafish embryo development in order to detect anomalies caused by an applied chemical agent during the development process. The algorithm has been examined using 55 zebrafish embryo images and has a success rate of 94.5% in recognising the correct embryo development stage